Underwater spear gun



E. W. TAYLOR UNDERWATER SPEAR GUN June 2, 1959 Filed Oct. 4, 1957 INVENTOR. "dz/z Zd Zy/ og ATTO/@V556 United States Fatent UNDERWATER SPEAR GUN Ervin W. Taylor, Grant, Fla.

Application Octber'4, 1957, Serial No. 688,333 3 claims. (ci. 42-1) The present invention relates to underwater spear guns.

An object of the present invention is to provide an underwater spear gun which is of light weight and lends itself to ready portability by a diver in a body of water.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an underwater spear gun which is safe to use and cannot be red unintentionally, one which is simple in structure and of sturdy construction, and one which is economical to manufacture and assemble.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure l is a sectional View of the underwater spear gun of the present invention, showing it in an uncooked position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the spear gun in a ycocked position prior to firing;

Figure 3 `is a fragmentary view partially in section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the plunger and plunger stem of the firing mechanism of the gun;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a rim-lire type of ring pin used in the gun of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of the combined plunger and liring pin; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of a separate firing pin.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the underwater spear gun according to the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and includes a breech 12 and a barrel 14 projecting from the forward end of the breech 12. A projectile 16 projects from and is supported in the barrel 14 and has one end adjacent the forward end of the breech 12 and has the other end exteriorly of and spaced from the free end of the barrel 14. The projectile 16 is tubular and carries onV its free end a solid head 18 threaded thereinto, the head 18 having a bore 20 into the free end of which extends a barb or spear point 22.

Acartridge 24 having a rim 26 on one end thereof is positioned withinv the other end of the projectile 16 with the rim 26 exteriorly of and bearing against the end of the projectile 16.

The spear gun of the present invention includes a firing mechanism having a plunger 28 and a firing pin 30 projecting from one face ofthe plunger 28. A stem 32 projects from the other face ofthe plunger 28. The firing mechanism is positioned within the breech 12 so that the firing pin 30 is adjacent to and out of enengagement with the cartridge 24 with a portion of the adjacent free end of the stem 32 projecting beyond the rearward end of the breech 12.

In Figure 6 it will be seen that the plunger 28 and stem 32 are formed integrally. In Figure 7 the firing 2,888,768 Patented June 2, `1959 28 and stem 32', the latter having a portion broken i trigger means is provided for actuating the firing pin mechanism and comprises a hand operable resilient U- shaped element 40 arranged so that the bight 42 thereof is normally exteriorly of and spaced from and forwardly of the hand grip 38 with the legs 44 and 46 slidably mounted in the hand grip 38 for movement of the bight 42 toward and away from the hand grip 38.

An extension bar 48 projects from the free end of the one leg 44 and has the free end thereof normally engaging the shoulder 34, as shown in Figure 1. The xed pin 5t) is dependingly carried by the breech 12 at a point midway between the point of attachment of the hand grip 38 and the free end of the breech 12. The end of the pin 50 is engageable with means provided on the extension bar 48 for holding the firing pin 30 out of engagement with the cartridge 24 against the tension of the coil spring 36. Specifically, this means consists in a shoulder 52 engaging the pin 50. Cam means, embodying an upwardly sloping track 54 formed on the extension bar 48, is engageable with the free end of the pin 50 in response to movement of the element 40 toward the hand grip 38 to release the free end of the extension bar 48 from its engagement with the shoulder 34 and permits the coil spring 36 to expand to move the firing pin 30 into engagement with the cartridge 24 and explode the latter to propel the projectile 16 out of the barrel 14. In Figure 2 the element 40 has been shifted to the position in which the free end of the extension bar 48 is clear of the shoulder 34 and the latter is free to move to the position in which the firing pin engages the cartridge. The resiliency of the leg 44 of the element 4t) normally biases the extension bar 48 to the position in which it engages the shoulder 34.

An L-shaped set screw is threaded into the underside of the barrel 14 adjacent the free end of the latter, as designated by the reference numeral 56, and is manually rotated to a position in which it rmly holds the projectile 16 from slipping outwardly of the barrel 14..

A light line 58 has one end secured to the spear point 22 and has its other end secured to the hand grip 38 with the intermediate portion extending between and coiled about a spring clip 60 secured to the upper face of the barrel 14. The line 58 is threaded through a transverse aperture provided in the head 18 of the projectile 16.

The portion of the barrel 14 where it is threaded into the threaded end of the breech 12 is provided with an inwardly extending groove receiving an O-ring 62. Another O-ring 64 immediately to the rear of the O-ring 62 cushions the enlarged head portion of the firing pin 30 when it is struck or moved by the plunger 28. The O-rings 62 and 64 serve to seal one end of the chamber provided in the breech 12 against admission thereto of water or gases from the interior of the projectile 16 when the cartridge 24 has been fired. Another O-ring 66 surrounds the steam 32 and is seated in a groove provided in the breech 12 and sealingly engages the stem 32 preventing admission of water into the breech 12 through that end of the breech 12.

In Figure 7, the iiring pin 30 is seen to have a projection 68 on one end thereof for engaging rim iire ca-rtridges. AIn Figure 9 the tiring pin 30" is provided with a projection 70 centrally of one end for engaging center tire cartridges.

In operation, a cartridge 24 is inserted in the open end of the projectile 16 and the projectile 16 is moved into the barrel 14 and the set screw 56 is turned by hand to snugly hold the projectile 16 in the barrel 14. The spear gun ofi the present invention may be carried by the user thereof and when it is desired to spear a target or fish, the element 40 is squeezed onto the hand grip 38 to move the bight `4,2 toward the hand grip 38 and this causes the ex tension48 to shift the stem 32 rearwardly of the breech 12 compressing the spring 36. When the extension moves suiiciently rearwardly so that the end of the pin 50 rides on the track 54 to the point where the end of the extension, bar 48`is disengaged from the shoulder 34, the spring 36 drives the plunger Zit forwardly and engages the firing pin 30 in the cartridge 24, tiring the latter. The pressure of the gas within the projectile 16 propels the latter from the barrel 14 and drives the spear point 22 into the target or fish. The user of the spear gun then retrieves the spear point 22 and the projectile 16 by reeling in the line 58 with the spear point 22 imbedded in the target or fish.

While only preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, other embodiments are contemplated and numerous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In an underwater spear gun including a breech, a barrel projecting from the forward end of said breech, a projectile projecting from and supported in said barrel and having one end adjacent the forward end of said breech and having the other end exteriorly of and spaced from the free end of said barrel, a cartridge carried by said one projectile end, a firing mechanism including a plunger, a firing pin projecting from one face of said plunger, and a stem projecting from the other face of said plunger positioned within said breech so that the tiring pin 1s adjacent to and out of engagement with said cartridge with the portion adjacent the free end of said stem projecting beyond the rearward end of said breech, a shoulder on the free end of said stem, spring means operatively connected to said plunger for biasing said tiring pin into engagement with said cartridge, and a hand grip depending from said breech between the forward and rearward ends of the latter, the improvement consisting in a trigger means for actuating the firing pin mechanism, said trigger means comprising a hand operable element arranged eX- teriorly of and normally spaced from said hand grip and connected to the hand grip for movement toward said hand grip, a resilient extension bar on said element and normally engaging said shoulder, a fixed pin dependingly carried by said breech engageable with means provided on said extension bar for holding the tiring pin out of engagement with said cartridge against the tension of said spring means, and cam means on said extension bar and engageable with said pin in response to movement of said hand operable element toward said hand grip to release said extension bar from engagement with said shoulder and permit the engagement of said firing pin with said cartridge under the action of said spring means and propel said projectile out of said barrel.

2. In an underwater spear gun including a breech, a barrel projecting from the forward end of said breech, a projectile projecting from and supported in said barrel and having one end adjacent the forward end of said breech and having the other endexteriorly of and spaced from the free end of said barrel, a cartridge carried by said one projectile end, a firing mechanism including a plunger, a firing pinprojecting from one face of said plunger, and a stem projecting from the other face of said plunger positioned within said breech so that the ring pin is adjacent to and out of engagement with said cartridge with the portion adjacent the freel end of said stem projecting beyond the rearward end of said breech, a shoulder on the free end of said stem, spring means operatively connected to said plunger for biasing said tiring pin into engagement with said cartridge, and a handgrip depending from said breech between the forward and rearward' ends of the latter, the improvement consisting in a trigger means for actuating the tiring pin mechanism, said trigger means comprising a hand operable element arranged exteriorly of and normally spaced from said hand grip and connected to the hand grip for movement toward said hand grip, a resilient extension bar on said element and normally engaging said shoulder, a fixedy pinfdependingly carried by said breech engageable with means provided on said extension bar for holding the tiring pin out of engagement with said cartridge against the tension of said spring means, andy cam means embodying an upwardly sloping track formed on said extension bar and engageable with the free end of said pin in response to movement of said hand operable element towardV said hand grip to release said extension bar from engagement with said shoulder and permit the engagement of said firing pin with said cartridge under the action of said spring means and propel said projectile out of said barrel.

3. In an underwater spear gun including a breech, a barrel'projecting from the forward end of said breech, a projectile projecting from and supported in said barrel and having one end adjacent the forward end of said breech and having the other end exteriorly ofand spaced from4 the free end of said barrel, a cartridge carried by said one projectile end, a tiring mechanism including a plunger, a tiring pin projecting from one face of said plunger, and a stem projecting from the other face of said plunger positioned within said breech so that the tiring pin is adjacent to and out of engagement with said cartridge with the portion adjacent the free end of said stem projecting beyond the rearward end of said breech, a shoulder on the free end of said stem, spring meansoperatively connected to said plunger for biasing said firingpin into engagement with said cartridge, anda hand grip depending from said breech between the forward and rearward ends of the latter, the improvement consisting in a trigger means for actuating the tiring pin mechanism, said trigger means comprising a resilient U-shaped hand operable element arranged so that the bight thereof is normally exteriorly of and spaced from said hand grip and having the legs thereof slidably mounted in said hand grip for movement of said bight toward and away from said hand grip, an extension bar projecting from the free end of one of said legs and having the free end thereof normally engaging said shoulder, a xed pin dependingly carried by said breech engageable with means provided on said extension bar for holding the tiring pin out of engagement with said cartridge against the tension of said spring means, and cam means embodying an `upwardly sloping track formed on said extension bar and engageable with the free end of said pin in response to movement of said hand operable element toward said hand grip to4 release said extension bar from engagement with said shoulder and permit the engagement of said tiring pin with said cartridge under the action of said spring means and propel said projectile out of said barrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 473,808 Arno Apr. 26, 1892 1,398,277 `lilnacek Nov. 29, 1921 1,547,834 Smookler i.- July 28, 1925 2,301,789 Pearson Nov. 10, 1942 2,737,942 Horowitz et al Mar, 13, 1956 2,818,056 Martin Dec. 31, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 492,696 Italy Mar. 29, 1954 

